Improved mode of sinking and tubing wells



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Gr. D. PETlINGrILL AND L. H. MERIOLE, OF OORTLAND, NEW YORK.

IMPROVED MODE OF SINKING AND TUBING WELLS.

Specilication forming part of Letters Patent No. 50,949, dated November 14, 1865.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that we, GEORGE D. PE'r'rIN- GILL and LEVI H. MERIGLE, both ofthe town of Cortland, in the county of Oorlland and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Apparatus for Sinking and Tubing Wells; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part ofthis specification, and to ,the letters ot' reference marked thereon.

Figure l shows our improved apparatus combined and 'ready to be sunk into the earth, in which A represent-s the lower portion of the tube; C, the Lipper portion; B, the sinking or boring tool, having a narrow flange or rim about its upper end, which embraces the lower end of the tube; and D a cap which slips over the upper end ot' the tube. Inclosed in this tube A O, and not shown in this ligure, is the operating-rod ot' the boring-tool B, the lower end of which is screwed into the center of a projection from the upper end of the said boring-tool, and upon its upper end is screwed the cap D. The lower end or portion of this operatingrod is surrounded by a iilter or strainer, the lower end orwhich is screwed upon the projections above mentioned from the up` per end of the boring-tool B.

Fig. 2 shows the same apparatus with the cap removed and the boring-tool B sunk a short distance below the lower end ofthe tube A O, disclosing the filter or strainer, (marked 15,) of which the lowerl end is screwed upon a projection from the upper end ot' the boringtool B, and the upper end is inelosed in the tube A O.

Fig. 3 shows the several parts ot' the same apparatus more in detail, in which D represents the cap removed; A O, thetube removed; B, the boring-tool; F, the operating-rod, with its lower end screwed into the center of the projection from the upper end of the boringtool B; and E, the [ilter or strainer surrounding the lower portion of the operatingrod F, and screwed upon the projection from the upper end ot' the boring-tool B. In the upper end ot the filter or strainer E is a slot (marked J) having a right angle, into which. the pin (marked I) near the upper end of the operating-rod F will tit when the operating-rod is changed end for end, and by means oi which the filter or strainer E can be removed by unscrewing it from the projection from the upper end ot' the boring-tool B and drawing it up out ot' the well through the tube A C. In the lower edge ot' the tube A O are several projections, (marked K K,) which titinto holes made in the upper end ot' the boring-tool B, just inside the rim orange which embraces the lower end of said tube when combined as shown in Fig. 1'.

Fig. 4 shows the boring-tool detached froui the other parts of the apparatus, in which P represents the place into which the lower end otl the operating-rod is screwed; O, the projection from the upper end ot' the boring-tool, upon which the lilter or strainer is screwed; and L L, the holes into which the projections from the lower edge of the tube are received when the apparatus is put together, as shown in Fig. 1.

ln constructing our appara-tus we make the tube A O, Fig. 3, ot' iron, of any required diameter for light porous soils, all the way of one size; but for heavy unyielding soils we make the upper portion the thickness ot' the tube smaller' than the lower portion, to lessen the l'riction encountered in sinking the tube, and join them by screwing the'lower end ot' the Lipper portion into the upper end ot' the lower portion, having appropriate threads out upon each,or we slipthe endsmentioned togetherand rivet them rmly or solder them, as in the accompanying model. From the lower edge of the tube A O we cut portions out, leaving the parts marked K K, Fig. 3, projecting about half an inch below the upper edges of the cutaway portions ot' the tube, which we lit into holes cut into the upper end ot' the boring-tool B, Fig. 4, and which are there represented by L L. The object ot this arrangementis to enable us, when sinking the apparatus connected together, as shown in Fig. 1, into heavy unyielding soils, to turn the boring-tool B by turning the tube A O, which we do with a heavy gas-ritters wrench.

We make the boring-tool B, Fig. 4, for light porous soils free ot stone ot cast-iron, and for other soils ot' steel, with a narrow flan ge or rim about its upper end to embrace the lower end ot' the tube A C and prevent its splitting when the apparatus is forced into the earth.

Ve make the lilter or strainer E, Fig. 3, of

heavy wire-cloth or a piece of porous earthen tube when water is reached in quicksaud, and in other cases of a short piece of metal tube, perforated er slotted, as may be most suitable, the lower end ot' which we screw upon or attach to the projection from the upper end of the boring-tube B in such way as may be most convenient.

The operating-rod' F,"Fig. 3, we make of a round iron rod, alittle less in diameter than the diameter of the bore of the tube A C, the lower end of which we screw into the center of the projection from the upper end cf the boring-tool B, at the place marked P, Fig. 4i, each having cut upon it the appropriate screw for that purpose. This operati n g-rod we make alittle longer than the tube A (l, and upon its upper end, which projects a little above the upper end of the tube A C when in position, as in Fig. l, we screw the cap D. This cap D we maire with a narrow rim or iiange aboutits lower end, which embraces the upper end of the tube A C and prevents its splitting when being forced into the earth.

The construction ot' the remaining portions of our apparatus have been suiiiciently described in our explanation oi' the accompanying drawings, or will be seen at a glance by an examination ot' the different `parts therein represented.

The manner of using our apparatus is substantially as follows: We tirst attach the several parts together, as shown in Fig. l, and, having selected the place where we desire to sink the well, we place the point of the boringtool upon it and commence driving the whole apparatus into the earth by means of a sledge or pile-driver, striking upon the top of the cap D. In case no stone or other obstruction is encountered this driving is continued until the water is reached, the tube A C and the boringtool B heilig constantly turned by means of the gas-titters wrench bet'orementioned. When the water is reached the cap D is removed and the boring-tool is driven a short distance farther into the earth by striking with the sledge or pile-driver upon the upper end of the operating-rod F, Fig. 3, when the several parts ot' the apparatus will be substantially inthe position shown in Fig. 2, the upper end of the boring-tool being a foot or more below the lower end oi' the tube A C. The operating-rod is then unscrewed and re moved from the tube A C, and the other end inserted so that the pin I, Fig. 3, will enter into the right-angled slot J, Fig. 3, by means lof which the strainer E, Fig. 2, is unserewed cap D is removed and the boring-tool B is p driven down about one-fourth ci' an inch, in the way above described, but not far euou gh to allow the projections K K, Fig. 3, to escape from the holes L L, Fig. 4, in the upper end of the boring-tool B, when the operating-rod is removed and the pump attached, which by its action will at once determine whether water has been reached or not. lt not, the cap D is replaced and screwed on so as to draw the boring-tool B firmly up to its place, as shown in Fig. l, when the driving is again ccm-L menced and continued until water is reached. In ease water is reached in quielrsand, we use the porous earthen iilter or strainer, instead of a metal one, and leave it in the well all the time. f

The advantages ot' our improved apparatus, constructed as shown and described, are, that withit wells can be sunk through clay, orany soil composed in great part ot' clay, without the tube being stopped up, as always happens when the tube is perforated or slotted, and when a vein ot' water is reached in a clayev soil a cavity can be made by driving down the boring-tool, which will permit free access ot' the water to the lower end of the tube, and by using the earthen strainer we can obtain water in quicksand.

What we claim as our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

l. The combination ot' the tube A C with the boringtool B, the operatingrod F, and the cap D, in the manner and for the purpose substantially as shown and described.

2. The combination of the strainer E with the boring-tool B, the operating-rod F, and the pipe A C, in the manner and for the purposes substantially as shown and described.

G'. D. PETTINGILL. L. H. MERICLE.

Witnesses:

GEO. D. GoWLEs, l. GRIFFIN, Jr. 

